...Hallyu began roughly 12 years ago when the rest of Asia discovered Korean soap operas. One of the breakthrough dramas was a series 'Winter Sonata' starring Choi Ji-woo & Bae Young-Joon. After that, more Korean dramas saw their way to foreign shores and Korean films and music started to follow suit. Korean marketing people started to see a Korea-centric trend. They dubbed this flow "The Korean Wave" or Hallyu....

It was announced that SMAP’s Katori Shingo will be starring in a new drama “Kasuka na Kanojo” (tentative title) that will start airing in April. In the drama, Katori will play a junior high school teacher “Koyama Akira” who has an ability to sense ghosts, and Anne will co-star with him as a ghost named “Akane” who used to be a teacher. It’s a love comedy in which Akira faces several problems happening at the school together with Akane.

“Koyama Akira” has a traumatic experience from his previous school in which his actions in response to solving a bullying problem did not work out. When he transfers to a new school, he sets his mind on staying out of problems. When he moves into a new apartment, he encounters “Akane”, a ghost living in his apartment.
While being pushed around by Akane’s escapade and her advice from a “dead person’s point of view”, Akira gradually finds out what’s important as a teacher by facing several problems and solving them.

Katori commented, “I hate ghosts. I’m scared of them. So I’ve kept avoiding a job that was related to ghosts until now, but I never expected the day when I would fall in love with a ghost, would come…” He continued, “While getting help from the love and comedy parts, I will try to enjoy the filming with the ghost! I will do my best to become a teacher loved enough by the students so that they run up to me while crying and saying ‘Sensei~!’ in the last episode! The first thing I have to do is to go attend a purification ceremony!!”

On the other hand, Anne who has played as a monster in drama “Yokai Ningen Bem” (NTV), will also play as a witch in “xxxHOLIC” (to begin airing on 2/24 on WOWOW), and now will play as ghost in this drama, said, “I accomplished the ‘full combo’ now! There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore!” Regarding her co-star, Katori, she said, “Even though I have worked with him several times in variety shows, this is my first time to co-star with him in acting, so my heart is fluttering. There will be many scenes that only two of us appear in, which makes me nervous, but I will put everything I have into the role!”

“Kasuka na Kanojo” will air on KTV/Fuji TV starting in April (every Tuesday at 10:00 pm).